Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hiking
Between the Quake Lake visitor center and the dam, Beaver Creek Rd turns north off the
highway through an area notorious for grizzly sightings, 3 miles to the Avalanche Lake/
Blue Danube Lake Trailhead (trail 222/152). Both Avalanche (11-mile round-trip) and
Blue Danube (12.5-mile round-trip) lakes make excellent day-hike destinations from July
onwards; the trail splits 4.5 miles from the trailhead.
Further along Beaver Creek the road finishes at Potamogeton Park, the trailhead for an
excellent mid-summer overnight trip up Sentinel Creek to the dozen or so alpine lakes of
the Hilgard Basin (trail 202/201, 7 miles, 2700ft elevation gain) of the Lee Metcalf Wil-
derness.
Along the western shore of Hebgen Lake, a couple of miles past Spring Creek Camp-
ground, is the trailhead for Watkins Creek and the 10-mile round-trip day or overnight
hike to Coffin Lakes (trail 215/209). You can take mountain bikes on this trail, which
gains 1700ft in elevation.
The useful 1:63,360 USFS Lee Metcalf Wilderness and West Yellowstone Vicinity map
marks these and many other trails, as does Beartooth Publishing's Bozeman & Big Sky's
Essential Dayhikes map.
Sleeping & Eating
On the southwest side of Hebgen Lake, three remote USFS campgrounds (late May-mid-
Oct) serve boaters and anglers. Four miles down a tarmac road, Lonesomehurst (27 sites,
sites with/without electricity $16/$24) is the most accessible, with lovely lake views, pot-
able water and a boat ramp. Another 2 miles and 6 miles, respectively, down a dirt road
that turns to rough washboard are lakeshore Cherry Creek and Spring Creek (no fee) ,
both primitive sites with pit toilets but no drinking water. Reach these by turning north off
Hwy 20 about halfway between Targhee Pass and West Yellowstone on Denny Creek Rd
(USFS Rd 176).
On the southeast shore of the lake is Rainbow Point Campground (sites without/with
electricity $16/22) , 10 miles from West Yellowstone and reservable at
www.recreation.gov .
Closer to Quake Lake are two scenic concession-run USFS campgrounds: Cabin
Creek (sites $14; mid-May-mid-Sep) , 23 miles from West Yellowstone, and the lar-
ger, nearby Beaver Creek (reserve at www.recreation.gov ; sites $14;
early Jun-early
Sep) .
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